Center support hangers for window blinds



April 1957 A. J. TOTI EFAL 2,788,066

CENTER SUPPORT HANGERS FOR WINDOW BLINDS Filed Nov. 1. 1954 AM ,i/ /4 1United States Patent CENTER SUPPORT HANGERS FOR WINDOW BLINDS Andrew J.Toti, Modesto, and Allen E. Latham, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Application November 1, 1954, Serial No. 466,008

2 Claims. (Cl. 160-177) This invention relates generally to hangers andmore particularly to center support hangers for window blinds of thevertical slat type wherein a traverse track is rotated about ahorizontal axis.

Conventionally, the traverse tracks utilized in window blinds of thevertical slat type are supported at the opposite ends only. Where it isdesirable to use this type of blind with larger windows, it has beenfound that the conventional traverse rods are not of sufiicient strengthto adequately support the vertical slats. To increase the strength ofthe traverse track itself would unduly increase the cost of the traversetrack and therefore it is desirable to provide some means of supportingthe traverse track from the window frame intermediate the ends of thetrack. In addition to providing support, such a device must permit therotation of the traverse track about its horizontal axis.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a centersupport hanger for Window blinds of the vertical slat type wherein thetraverse track is rotatable about a horizontal axis which will providesupport to the traverse track at various angular positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a center support hanger ofthe above type which can be easily attached to the window frame and thetraverse track.

A further object of the invention is to provide a center support hangerof the above type which presents a minimum of friction to rotationalmovement of the traverse track.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the center support hangertogether with portions of the associated window blind assembly.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken along the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the center support hanger asshown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevational view similar to Figure 2 except that thetraverse track is shown rotated to its extreme clockwise position.

In general, the present invention consists of a stationary hanger partadapted to be attached to a fixed support, a movable hanger partattached to the traverse track and an arcuate guideway means serving toconnect the hanger parts to permit the traverse track to be rotatedabout a fixed horizontal axis.

The window blind assembly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing in connectionwith my center support hanger is substantially conventional and consistsof a horizontal traverse track 11, substantially semi-circularin-crosssection, rotatably mounted between end brackets 12 and 13 whichare carried by the window frame 14. A gear Patented Apr. 9, 1957 train16 is adapted to be operated by the tilt cord 17 and is fixed to thebracket 13 in such a manner that when the tilt cord 17 is operated, thetraverse track 11 will be rotated about the horizontal axis of thetraverse track. The traverse track 11 is provided with an elongated slot18 extending along the entire length of the traverse track.

Vertical blind slats 21 are connected to a plurality of slides 22 bymeans of ring 23. The slides 22 are slidably mounted within theelongated slot 18 of the traverse track 11 and are adapted to be movedalong said slot by means of the traverse cord 24. Stabilizing means 26are provided at the bottom of the slats 21 to prevent the hanging slatsfrom blowing against each other without interfering with the rotation ofthe slats or the drawing of the blind assembly as it is opened orclosed.

Byloperating the tilt cord 17, the blind slats 21 can be rotated toadjust for any desired degree of lighting and by operating the traversecord 24, the blind slats 21 can be drawn open or closed.

The center support hanger 29 consists of a stationary hanger part 31 anda pair of movable hanger parts 32. The stationary hanger part 31 isslidably mounted in a bracket 33 which can be attached to a fixedsupport such as the window frame 14 by any suitable means such as screws34. The movable hanger parts can be attached to the traverse track '11by any suitable means such as screws 35.

Any suitable means may be provided for connecting the movable hangerparts 32 to thestationary hanger part 31 to permit rotation of movablehanger parts about an axis which is coincident with the axis of thetraverse track 11. One means found to be suitable consists of providingthe stationary hanger part with an arcuate guideway 36 having a uniformradius, the center being coincident with the axis of rotation of thetraverse track 11. The movable hanger parts 32 are provided with arcuateguideways 37 contiguous to the arcuate guideway 36, the arcuateguideways 37 having a uniform radius, the center being coincident withthe axis of rotation of the traverse track 11.

A carriage 39 is rotatably mounted in the arcuate guideways 36 and 37.The carriage 39 consists of a frame 41 comprised of two bars 42 and 43which may be mounted in a spaced relationship by any suitable means suchas by shafts 44 and 46. A pair of rollers 47 are rotatably mounted insaid frame 41 on said shafts 44 and 46. Each of the rollers 47 isprovided with sections 47a, 47b and 470 of different diameters, sections47a and 47c being adapted to cooperate with arcuate guideways 37, andsection 47b being adapted to cooperate with arcuate guideway 36.

It is apparent that the dimensions of the arcuate guideways 36 and 37and the roller sections 47a, 47b and 470 can be changed to determine therates of travel of the movable hanger parts and carriage 39. Forexample, in one instance the traverse track and movable hanger partswere made to travel while the carriage only travelled 72. This wasaccomplished by making the diameter of the roller sections 47a and 470three-fifths of the diameter of the roller section 47b. The arcuateguideway 36 was approximately 240 in length and the arcuate guideways 37were approximately in length. The rollers 41 were separated byapproximately 60.

Operation of the center support hanger may be briefly described asfollows: Let it be assumed that the center support hanger is in theposition shown in Figure 2 with the vertical slats in an open positionand that it is desired to move the slats to a closed position. To closethe vertical blind slats 21, the traverse track 11 must be rotated in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2.

To accomplish this, the tilt cord 17 is operated to cause the gear train16 to rotate the traverse track in a clockwise direction. Rotation ofthe traverse track in a clockwise direction causes clockwise movementof. the movable hanger parts 32 which are fixedthereto. Movement of themovable hanger parts causes the rollers 41 to move relative to thestationary hanger part 31 but at a rate of speed that is less than therate of movement between the movable. hangerv parts32 and the stationaryhanger part 31, the rates of movement being determined by the ratio. ofthe diameter of roller section47b to the diameters of roller sections47a and 470.

As the traverse track is rotated in a clockwise direction, the'carriage39 also moves in aclockwise. direction to provide continuous support tothe movablehanger parts. Since the motion is of the. continuous rollingtype, very little friction is encountered in rotating. the traversetrack.

It is. apparent that the. blind. slats-may be closed or opened to anydesired angle merely by rotating the traverse track 11 to the properposition. When it is desired to completely close. the blinds, the:traverse track 11 is rotated in the same directionuntil it comesdirectly into contact with the blind slats 21 to press them into acompletely closedposition as shown in Figure 5. In this position, themovable hanger parts 32 have been moved approximately 120 fromtheposition shown in Figure 2 and the carriage 39 has been movedapproximately 72 from the position shown in Figure 2. In this position,the carriage still provides support for the movable hanger parts 32.

It will be apparent from the. foregoing that we have provided a center.support hanger for window blinds ofthe vertical slat type wherein thetraverse track is continuously. supported froma fixed support by arcuateguideway means to permit the traverse track to be rotated about a fixedhorizontal axis. Because of theroll' ing action of the rollers 41, aminimum of friction is encountered when rotating the traverse track.

We claim:

1. In a blind construction having vertical slats suspended from atraverse track in which the rotation of the traverse track. about afixed horizontal axis effects turning of the slats angularly betweenopen and closed positions through rotation of the traverse track aboutapproximately 240 degrees, support means intermediate the ends of thetraverse track, said support means comprising a stationary hanger partadapted to be attached to a fixedsupport, a movable hanger part attachedto the traversetrack, an arcuate guideway, and means serving to. connectthe hanger parts to permit the traverse track to be rotated throughapproximately 240 degrees about said fixed horizontal axis.

2. In a blind construction having vertical slats suspended from atraverse. trackwhich is. rotatable through about 240. degrees about afixed horizontal. axis to, turn theslats angularly between open andclosed positions, support means intermediatethe ends of the traversetrack, saidsupport means comprising a stationary hanger part adapted tobe. attached to a fixed support, an arcuate guideway in said stationaryhanger part, a movable hanger part contiguous to said stationary hangerpart and attached to the traverse track, an arcuate guideway in saidmovable hanger part, and means connecting said arcuate guideway to saidtrack whereby said track can be rotated through an angle ofapproximately 24-0 degrees which is substantially greater than theangular. length of said arcuate guideway and said stationary hangerpart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,216,678 Stuber Oct. 1, 1940 2,278,341 Whaley Mar. 31, 1942

